Crane Group Announces Leadership Transitions

Lance Crane to transition to Executive Chairman and Chris Brown to assume CEO role on Jan. 1, 2027

KIMBERLY, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Lance Crane, who has led Crane Engineering since 2007 and its parent company, Crane Group, since its formation in 2023, will transition from Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to Executive Chairman effective Jan. 1, 2027. Crane Group President Chris Brown will succeed him as CEO.

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Lance Crane will transition from CEO of Crane Group to Executive Chairman effective Jan. 1, 2027.

Crane joined Crane Engineering in 2004 and became Owner, President and CEO in November 2007. He led a company transformation built on a renewed commitment to core values, people-first servant leadership and recognizing team member achievement. Under his leadership Crane Engineering invested heavily in service and repair, becoming one of the nation's premier pump and valve service providers, grew the integrated systems business and expanded relationships with major customers and new markets. With its growth, Crane Engineering also added 43,000 square feet to its headquarters in Kimberly, Wisconsin.

During Crane’s tenure, the company grew revenue tenfold and posted record growth year after year since 2008. Crane Engineering earned an innovation award from the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce.

"When I joined Crane Engineering, I dreamed of turning our family business into a national distribution company powered by great people and a winning culture. Seeing that dream become a reality has been the privilege of my career," said Crane. "We've solved countless technical problems, created exciting new product lines, helped our customers succeed, built a great home for our team members and made a difference in our communities. I'm incredibly proud of what this team has accomplished."

In 2023, in a move designed to accelerate growth, Crane partnered with AEA Investors to form Crane Group, the parent company of Crane Engineering. Today Crane Group has 440 employees and 17 locations across the Midwest, the Mid-Atlantic and Canada. Its rapid growth includes 10 acquisitions since 2023.

Crane has been preparing for the leadership transition by elevating Brown to President of Crane Group earlier this year.

"Chris is a key strategic leader for us," said Crane. "He's guided our supplier partnerships, advanced our acquisition strategy and helped us perform at a higher level. He's absolutely the right person to take Crane Group to the next level."

Brown previously led the Mid-Atlantic-based Geiger Pump and Equipment prior to its 2024 acquisition by Crane Group, then served as Crane Group Vice President before being named President in early 2026.

"I'm excited to take on this new role and continue executing our ongoing plans around leadership and growth," said Brown. "Reflecting on the journey of Crane Group, I think about Lance's parents, Jim and Carole Crane, who I've known since joining Geiger Pump in 1994. I think of not only the legacy for the Crane family, but also the hundreds of families that are connected to our enterprise today. It's that responsibility to our families, our customers, supplier partners and the communities where we work that drives me and our team every day. I couldn't be more excited for the future as we continue to deliver growth, innovation and value."

As Executive Chairman, Crane will remain on the Crane Group board of directors and serve as a strategic advisor. He is a past board president of the Boys & Girls Club of the Fox Valley, a sponsor of the Appleton Technical Academy at Appleton West High School and will continue to front local rock band, Mistrial.

“This is part of a long-range succession plan and Lance is moving to Executive Chairman to spend more of his time on growth and expansion as well as driving the company’s special culture,” said Baron Carlson, Co-Head of AEA Enterprise Partners and Partner with AEA Investors LP. “Chris is a very successful, longtime leader in the flow control distribution industry and will be an excellent next CEO for Crane Group.”

Brown will assume the role of CEO on Jan. 1, 2027, as Crane Group continues executing its long-term growth strategy with Crane’s leadership as Executive Chairman.

About Crane Group

Crane Group is a family of specialized fluid technology businesses serving industrial, sanitary and municipal customers across North America, with locations in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Ontario, Canada. Crane Group brings together experts in all kinds of flow control and process equipment including pumps, blowers, compressors, mixers, valves, controls, filtration, engineered systems, and more, all with the shared goal to be a true reliability partner to our customers. With 440 team members across 17 locations and eight brands, Crane Group serves as a trusted technical advisor to thousands of customers. To learn more, visit cranegroupllc.net.

About Crane Engineering

Crane Engineering is a leading distributor of fluid processing technology in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan. Its portfolio ranges from industrial pumps and valves to specialized equipment like chemical feed systems and wastewater treatment equipment. Headquartered in Kimberly, Wisconsin, Crane Engineering serves over 3,000 customers in 46 states. To learn more, visit craneengineering.net.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261008704868/en/

Media contact:
Raquel Lamal
Red Shoes Inc.
920-574-3253
[email protected]

Source: Crane Group

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